later

1 of 2

adverb

lat·​er ˈlā-tər 

: at some time subsequent to a given time : subsequently, afterward

one week later

they later regretted the decision

—often used with on

experience that will be useful later on

-later

2 of 2

noun combining form

: worshipper

bibliolater

Synonyms

Adverb

• afterwards
• afterward
• after
• thereafter

Examples of later in a Sentence

Adverb

I'll talk to you again later.

They later regretted the decision.

She returned several weeks later.

I saw him again later that morning.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adverb

Short sellers look to benefit from a company's falling share price by borrowing its stock to sell on the open market, then later buying it back at a lower price. —CNBC, 22 Sep. 2025

Two Hampton runs later, receiver Ladd McConkey won on a slant route to move the Chargers deep into Cameron Dicker’s field goal range. —Daniel Popper, New York Times, 22 Sep. 2025

Margaret had sustained multiple gunshot wounds; Tom had suffered just one, in what police later classifed a murder-suicide. —ProPublica, 22 Sep. 2025

Zhang was released in May 2024 and detained again three months later, eventually being formally arrested and placed in Shanghai’s Pudong Detention Center, RSF said. —Reuters, CNN Money, 21 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Adverb

see late entry 1

Noun combining form

French -latre, from Late Latin -latres, from Greek -latrēs; akin to Greek latron pay

First Known Use

Adverb

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing later

• at a later/future date
• later on
• no/not later than
• see you (around/later)
• sooner or later
• sooner rather than later

Rhymes for later

• cater
• crater
• frater
• freighter
• gator
• grater
• accelerator
• accumulator
• adjudicator
• administrator
• appropriator
• articulator